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New safety campaign to get kids wearing cycling helmets

Department of Transport reports more cyclists injured in road accidents

A campaign calling for a law to make cycling helmets compulsory for children has been launched this week.

The campaign, called Lids for Kids, comes in response to Department of Transport figures out this week show a 12% rise in the number of cyclists injured in road accidents in 2011 compared to 2010.

All bicycle-related injuries have been increasing since 2007.

Peter McCabe, Chief Executive of Headway, the brain injury association leading the campaign, said, “The evidence is clear - cycle helmets can save lives and help prevent lifelong disability. We believe all cyclists should wear helmets, particularly vulnerable road users such as children.”

British Superbike (BSB) champion Tommy Hill is also part of the campaign, which calls on scientific evidence that shows children are less likely to suffer brain injuries if wearing a helmet.

Ed Fletcher, Director of Fletchers law firm, also involved in the campaign, said, “Cycling can be dangerous and while adults can take some responsibility for their own safety, children are less aware of the serious consequences of cycling without a helmet on our busy roads.”

What do I think? I think that this is a marketing campaign for helmet manufacturers.

Nowhere with a helmet law has been able to show any reduction in risk to cyclists, just a reduction in cyclists. Because cycling confers such huge health benefits, regular cyclists live longer and are fitter, healthier and slimmer than the general public, the reduction in their number means that he real effect of helmet laws is massive and negative.

DfT data may show that there have been more cyclists injured in the last ten years, but helmet wearing has gone up in the last ten years. Just like everywhere else where helmet wearing has increased, so has the danger to cyclists.

Check out cyclehelmets.org for a few facts, rather than the marketing bs of the helmet proponents.